Test method for an exhaust gas probe of an internal combustion engine, in particular for a lambda probe

1. A test method for an exhaust gas probe of an internal combustion engine comprising the following steps:

determining a heating power applied to the exhaust gas probe by exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine,

integrating the heating power over time to determine a running total heating power,

checking an output signal of the exhaust gas probe,

measuring an internal resistance of the exhaust gas probe,

detecting a fault state of the exhaust gas probe on the basis of at least the output signal of the exhaust gas probe and the running total heating power for a particular time period,

differentiating between different causes of the detected fault state of the exhaust gas probe by comparing the output signal of the exhaust gas probe and the measured internal resistance of the exhaust gas probe to corresponding limit values, and

setting a fault flag to indicate the differentiated fault state of the exhaust gas probe.

2. The test method according to claim 1 , wherein the following causes of the detected fault state of the exhaust gas probe are differentiated:

a) wire break in an electrical lead of the exhaust gas probe and

b) heating fault due to excessively weak heating of the exhaust gas probe by an exhaust gas probe heater incorporated in the exhaust gas probe,

wherein a wire break is identified as the cause of the detected fault state if (a) the output signal of the exhaust gas probe exceeds an upper limit value or is below a first lower limit value and (b) the measured internal resistance of the exhaust gas probe is below a second lower limit value, and

wherein a heating fault is otherwise identified as cause of the detected fault state.

3. The test method according to claim 1 , wherein an excessively weak heating in the event of a heating fault is caused by

a) an unsatisfactory heater map controlling the exhaust gas probe heating, or

b) aging-induced deterioration of the exhaust gas probe heating.

4. The test method according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

determining an exhaust gas temperature of the internal combustion engine,

determining an intake mass airflow of the internal combustion engine, and

calculating the heating power applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine from the exhaust gas temperature and the mass airflow.

5. The test method according to claim 4 , wherein

a) the exhaust gas temperature is determined by an exhaust gas temperature model, or

b) the mass airflow is measured by a mass airflow meter.

6. The test method according to claim 4 , wherein

a) the exhaust gas temperature is determined by an exhaust gas temperature model, and

b) the mass airflow is measured by a mass airflow meter.

7. The test method according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

comparing the heating power applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas with a predefined limit value,

detecting a wire break if a fault state of the exhaust gas probe is detected and, in addition, the heating applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas is less than the limit value, and

detecting a heating fault if a fault state of the exhaust gas probe is detected and, in addition, the heating applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas exceeds a limit value.

8. The test method according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

determining a dew point, and

taking the dew point into account for the detection and/or differentiation of the fault states of the exhaust gas probe.

9. The test method according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

measuring a time since starting of the internal combustion engine,

comparing the time since starting of the internal combustion engine with a predefined limit value,

setting a general fault flag if a fault state of the exhaust gas probe is detected and if, in addition, the time since starting of the internal combustion engine exceeds the limit value.

10. The test method according to claim 1 , wherein the exhaust gas probe is selected from the group consisting of:

a) a lambda probe,

b) a wideband lambda probe,

c) a planar lambda probe, and

d) a nitrogen oxide sensor.

11. The test method according to claim 1 , wherein the internal combustion engine is selected from the group consisting of:

a) a gasoline engine,

b) a diesel engine,

c) a natural gas powered engine, and

d) a dual-fuel engine which can be run on different types of fuel.

12. The test method according to claim 1 , comprising storing fault-specific fault flags according to the fault states detected.

13. A engine control unit being operable:

to determine a heating power applied to an exhaust gas probe by exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine,

to integrate the heating power over time to determine a running total heating power,

to check an output signal of an exhaust gas probe,

to measure an internal resistance of the exhaust gas probe,

to detect a fault state of the exhaust gas probe on the basis of at least the output signal of the exhaust gas probe and the running total heating power for a particular time period,

to differentiate between different causes of the detected fault state of the exhaust gas probe by comparing the output signal of the exhaust gas probe and the measured internal resistance of the exhaust gas probe to corresponding limit values, and

to set a fault flag to indicate the differentiated fault state of the exhaust gas probe.

14. The engine control unit according to claim 13 , wherein the following causes of the detected fault state of the exhaust gas probe are differentiated:

a) wire break in an electrical lead of the exhaust gas probe and

b) heating fault due to excessively weak heating of the exhaust gas probe by an exhaust gas probe heater incorporated in the exhaust gas probe,

wherein a wire break is identified as the cause of the detected fault state if (a) the output signal of the exhaust gas probe exceeds an upper limit value or is below a first lower limit value and (b) the measured internal resistance of the exhaust gas probe is below a second lower limit value, and

wherein a heating fault is otherwise identified as cause of the detected fault state.

15. The engine control unit according to claim 13 , wherein an excessively weak heating in the event of a heating fault is caused by

a) an unsatisfactory heater map controlling the exhaust gas probe heating, or

b) aging-induced deterioration of the exhaust gas probe heating.

16. The engine control unit according to claim 13 , being further operable to:

determine a heating power applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine,

take the heating power applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas into account for differentiating between the different fault states of the exhaust gas probe.

17. The engine control unit according to claim 16 , being further operable to:

determine an exhaust gas temperature of the internal combustion engine,

determine an intake mass airflow of the internal combustion engine, and to

calculate the heating power applied to the exhaust gas probe by the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine from the exhaust gas temperature and the mass airflow.

18. The engine control unit according to claim 17 , wherein

a) the exhaust gas temperature is determined by an exhaust gas temperature model, or

b) the mass airflow is measured by a mass airflow meter.